Representatives of the Plant Protection Directorate - Group for Plant Variety Protection and Biosafety, Jovan Vujović and Gordana Lončar, at the invitation of the Vice Secretary-General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), on October 25 and 26, 2017, were participated on the Consultative Committee of UPOV and on the Council of UPOV in Geneva. On this occasion, at the session of the Consultative Committee of UPOV, a presentation on progress in the implementation of UPOV System in Serbia was held, in relation to five years of Serbia's membership in UPOV. In the presentation were presented situation in the area of plant varieties protection (PVP), progress achieved in the implementation of the PVP system, with indications of areas for improving cooperation with UPOV and members of the Union.

The Republic of Serbia ratified the UPOV Convention in 2010, in 2013 became a member of the UPOV, and joined the rank of states that provide the system of protection of plant breeders' rights, which is fully in compliance with international standards and rules, based on the UPOV Convention.

The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), as the United Nations organization, is an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. The mission of UPOV is to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection, as the intellectual property, with the aim of encouraging the development of new varieties of plants, for the benefit of society, based on the principles regulated by the UPOV Convention.

Cooperation of the Republic of Serbia with UPOV, in addition to the importance of the effective system for the protection of the plant breeder's rights, is of particular importance due to the accession of the Republic of Serbia to the World Trade Organization and the European Union.